1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rake, and more particularly to a garden or lawn rake device having a gripping and/or retracting mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The closest prior art of which the applicant is aware is his prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,447 to Hsu and comprises a number of tines that may be retracted to a folding or storing configuration. However, the rake may not be used to gripping the tree leaves and grass gathered by the rake.
The other typical rakes comprise two groups of tines symmetrically provided on the opposite lateral sides of the rod handle and movable into a generally mutual overlaying relationship for gripping the tree leaves and grass. However, a greatly complicated configuration is required for pivotally coupling the two groups of tines to the rod handle and for allowing the two groups of tines to be rotated about the rod handle to the overlaying relationship. One of the typical rakes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,982 to Darnell.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional rakes.